1. Field of Disclosure
This disclosure primarily relates to a complete integral tank double-hull containment vessel for the transportation of hot cargo. This disclosure also relates to heating the hot cargo on the containment vessel using heat from a tug boat using an umbilical.
2. Description of the Art
Conventional cargo transport vessels include inland barges transport on inland waterways and ocean going on oceans and limited inland. Inland cargo transport vessels typically transport cargo relatively short distances over inland waterways. Ocean-going cargo transport vessels typically transport cargo relatively long distances over oceans.
A conventional single-hull cargo transport vessel includes a single hull that provides a boundary between the operating environment of the vessel and the cargo. The hull includes a bottom side structural member, a starboard side structural member, a port side structural member, and a topside deck that are connected to form the exterior of the vessel. The hull also includes transverse and longitudinal bulkheads to provide strength, support, and stability to the hull. A cargo carrying volume is formed by the bottom side structural member, starboard side structural member, port side structural member, and topside deck of the vessel. If the hull is breached, cargo may be exposed to the outside environment and/or the outside environment may be exposed to the cargo. In these instances, contamination of the outside environment, the cargo, or both may occur. To address environmental concerns related to the breach of conventional single-hull cargo transport vessels, governmental regulations now require the use of double-hulls for designated vessels in United States waters.
In accordance with these regulations, a conventional double-hull cargo transport vessel, as approved by current United States Coast Guard and International regulations and standards includes a primary hull and a partial secondary hull that forms a double-hull with respect to the bottom, port, and starboard sides of the vessel. A cargo carrying volume is formed by the bottom side structural member, starboard side structural member, and port side structural member of the partial secondary hull and the topside deck of the primary hull. As such, only the portion of the conventional double-hull cargo transport vessel that is in contact with the operating waterline depth environment of the vessel is double-hulled to prevent the leakage of cargo in the event the primary hull is breached.
Hot cargo vessels are typically heated using heat sources (such as boilers) disposed on the vessel. On barges that carry hot cargo, heating the hot cargo requires the burning of fuel to generate heat on a vessel that is not configured for self-propulsion. What is needed is a system that allows heat from a second vessel to supply heat to the hot cargo vessel using an umbilical.